Eligibility for children aged 5 to 16
To get free travel assistance, your child must:
- live in Southend-on-Sea
- be between 5 and 16 years old (compulsory school age)
- attend the nearest suitable, qualifying school
- meet at least one of the eligibility rules
Eligible children categories
Distance
Primary school pupils (age 5 to 11) who live more than 2 miles away from their nearest suitable school.
Secondary school pupils (age 11 to 16) who live more than 3 miles away from their nearest suitable school.
We measure the distance using the shortest safe walking route.
Unsafe route
The walking route to the nearest suitable school (within the distance limits) is unsafe to walk, even if accompanied by an adult.
Special Educational Needs, disability or mobility problem
The child attends their nearest suitable school (within the distance limits) but cannot reasonably be expected to walk there, even with an adult. This is because of their:
- Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) or,
- mobility issues
Visit our page on LiveWell Southend for more information.
Low income families
The child:
- gets free school meals, or
- the parent they live with gets the maximum Working Tax Credit or Universal Credit (with annual net income under £15,400)
They must also be aged between 11 and 16, and:
- attend one of their three nearest suitable schools, which is between 2 and 6 miles from home, or
- attend a school chosen for reasons of religion or belief between 2 and 15 miles from home, and where there is no suitable school closer
Other situations
Children attending a:
- suitable school outside the distance limits because there is no nearer suitable school with a place available
- school chosen for religion or belief outside the distance limits, if they could not get a place at a nearer suitable school